Richard Thom worked in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia between 1976 and 1980 for Aramco’s Internal Audit and Contract Cost Compliance departments. This was his first Dhahran Outing Group trip.
In December 1978 I went on a DOG’s tour (Dhahran Outing Group) to India and Nepal. There were about 15 in our group.
ITINERARY
19 – 21 December 1978
Part 1 India
Our Indian itinerary revolved around visiting the historical sites in Agra and New Delhi. All five sites we visited have since been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites - the Taj Mahal and Agra’s Red Fort in 1983, Fatehpur Sikri in 1986, the Qutub Minar in 1993, and New Delhi’s Red Fort in 2007.
19th New Delhi: I can’t remember much about the hotel we stayed in our first night, other than two incidents in the bar. Despite Article 47 of the Indian constitution endeavouring “…...to bring about prohibition of the consumption except for medicinal purposes of intoxicating drinks and of drugs which are injurious to health", there was no prohibition in New Delhi, nevertheless some of the clientele in the bar wore skin lightener so they could feel more at ease ordering alcohol; and the second was the level of service. All I had to do was think about lighting a cigarette or wanting a bar snack, and a lighter and ashtray were at my elbow, and nuts appeared on the table.
20th New Delhi – Agra: We departed pretty early in the morning from New Delhi railway station for the 2½ hour journey to Agra Cantonment, as we had a crowded itinerary visiting the Taj Mahal, Red Fort, and Fatehpur Sikri, all in one day. Our train, the Taj Express, had been operating since 1964. It was one of the fastest trains on the network then. It was hauled by a steam engine and had 19 coaches, of which 3 were 1st class and airconditioned. We had breakfast on the train, and I remember seeing the footplate of the engine being used as the stove to fry our eggs and bacon and my colleague the bread stacked on a filthy floor. Despite this, it has remained, at least in my memory, one of the best breakfasts I have eaten.
Red Fort: On arrival, we boarded a bus and headed for the Agra Fort (also known as the Red Fort, “Lal-Qila” or “Qila-i-Akbari”). It had served as the main residence of the rulers of the Mughal dynasty until 1638 when the capital shifted from Agra to Delhi. The red sandstone fort is built on a semi-circular plan on 94 acres and lies on the right bank of the river Yamuna.
Although there are four main entry gates, tourists enter through the Akbar Darwaza Gate (Amar Singh Gate). The Fort has retained its 70’ walls, double ramparts with battlements, embrasures and with machicolations, but of the original 500 buildings, hardly thirty survive today. They were all mostly on the south-eastern side, facing the river. Among these, the most impressive were the Akbar Gate, the Akbari Mahal and Shah Jahan Mahal palaces, the Moti Mosque, the Diwan-i-Khas, the Hammam-i-Khas and the Musamman Burj.
We admired the beautiful fretwork, for which the Fort is famous, on the walls and pillars of the Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience) and the Musamman Burj (Octagonal Tower), and because it was such a clear day, we had a stunning view of the Taj Mahal from the balcony in the Musamman Burj.
Taj Mahal: The Taj Mahal is 2.5 km from Agra and sits on the same side of the river covering 42 acres. It was commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the Tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Maha and himself.
The Tomb is the central focus, a large, white marble symmetrical building standing on a square plinth with an arch-shaped doorway (Iwan) topped by a large dome and finial. Four minarets frame the Tomb, one at each corner of the plinth facing the corners. The main chamber houses false sarcophagi of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan as the actual graves are at a lower level. Construction of this had been completed in 1643 but the whole complex was not complete until 1653.
Visitors approach the Tomb through the Darwaza-i-Rauza, a monumental symmetrical structure built primarily of marble, its archways mirroring the shape of the Tomb's. The initial view is stunning, as can be seen from the photos below.
The gateway separates the inner courtyard (Jilawkhana) from the Gardens which are laid out in a perfect square divided into four by channels representing the four rivers of Paradise. The central part of the Gardens is named "Al Hawd al-Kawthar", which means "Cistern or Basin of Abundance" and is hugely symbolic. The large marble fountain is supposed to soothe the thirst of those who arrive in Paradise. The pool has 5 fountains, one at each corner and a fifth in the centre. The 4 marble benches were added by Lord Curzon in 1907-1908, during the English period. In 1992 Princess Diana made them famous when she was photographed on one of them with the Taj Mahal behind her. The Gardens are bordered on three sides by crenelated red sandstone walls while the riverside is open; the inner-facing walls are fronted by columned arcades and interspersed with domed chhatris (pavilions).
On either side of the Tomb, paralleling the western and eastern walls are two red sandstone buildings that mirror each other, a mosque and a jawab. Both lend architectural balance although there are some slight differences as one of the buildings is religious, and the other provides balance.
The construction cost was apparently the equivalent of Rps35 billion. Our final stop was Fatehpur Sikri.
Fatehpur Sikri: Fatehpur Sikri was the capital of the Mughal Empire between 1571 -1585 but was partially abandoned by Akbar in 1585 when he went to fight a campaign in Punjab, and then completely abandoned by 1610. It is unknown why it was really abandoned, one reason given the failure of the water supply, another that Akbar just lost interest.
The city however is still impressive, with a number of important buildings, both religious and secular, and a spectacular use of red sandstone. The Jama Mosque (Masjid) was one of the first buildings constructed c1571–72, and the Buland Darwaza or Victory Gate was built 5 years later, as a raised entrance to the Mosque’s courtyard, in honour of Akbar’s successful campaign in Gujarat when the city came to be known as Fatehpur Sikri - "The City of Victory".
The mosque is decorated with white marble inlay and designed with archways (Iwans) around a central courtyard, the central mihrab covered by a dome with a row of chhatri over the sanctuary, and three mihrabs in each of the seven bays. In its courtyard the tombs of Salim Chishti (1478–1572) a Sufi saint, in white marble, and Islam Khan 1, his grandson, were built in red sandstone.
From the mosque, the pathway leads to the Jodha Bai Mahal palace, the residence of Akbar's favourite and chief Rajput wife after whom it is named, and the Panch Mahal a five-storied palatial structure, with tiers that gradually diminish in size, the final one consisting of a single large-domed chhatri (pavilion).
To the left and in front of the Panch Mahal are the Halls of Private and Public Audience, the Diwan-i-Khas and Diwan-i-Aam respectively. The former a plain square building with four chhatris on the roof and the latter a pavilion-like multi-bayed rectangular structure fronting the large open space. The former is famous for its central pillar, which has a square base and an octagonal shaft, both carved with bands of geometric and floral designs, and a circular platform connected to each corner of the building on the first floor, by four stone walkways.
21st Agra – New Delhi: We stayed the night in Agra, and the following day headed back to Delhi by coach. At various pitstops snake charmers showed off their skill, vendors offered us the chance to handle pythons, mongoose and other exotic animals, and along the road, the bus stopped so we could take photographs of farmers in their fields, and a Kalandar tribesman with his dancing bear. This cruel practise had been made illegal in 1972, but the last Sloth bear was not rescued until 2009.
We arrived at our next destination after a journey of about 5 hours.
Qutb Minar: A Minar is a tower or turret commonly found near mosques and derived from the Arabic word “manār,” which means “lighthouse” or “beacon”.
The Qutb Minar had been built over the ruins of Lal Kot, the citadel of Dhillika. It consists of five stories of red and grey sandstone. The lowest or basement story was completed between 1140–1203. The second, third, and fourth stories were erected between 1211–1236 and were all revetted with twelve semicircular and twelve flanged pilasters placed in alternating order, carried on Mugarnas corbels.
The basement story’s horizontal bands are inscribed with suras from the Quran and names and titles of various Ghurid Sultans. It sits on top of a low circular plinth that is inscribed with a twelve-pointed star with a semicircle placed with each of the angles between the star’s points. The fourth story was repaired after lightning struck the minaret in 1369. It was reconstructed in white marble but Sultan Firuz Shah Tughlaq decided to reduce it in size by separating it into a fourth and fifth story.
Within the complex is the Alai Minar, an unfinished monument built to rival Qutb by the Ruler Alauddin Khilji in the C12th who died before completing it.
From Qutub, we were driven direct to Delhi Airport. We had covered a lot of ground in our three days. India is a land of contrast, on one hand teeming with people intent on making a living in every manner conceivable; on the other hand, exquisite monuments from the past in tranquil settings. It is a beautiful country.
ITINERARY
21 – 26 December 1978
Part 2 Nepal
This part of the itinerary revolved around us immersing ourselves into the Hindu and Buddhist heritage and culture of the people, buildings, temples and monuments of Nepal, together with an unforgettable trip to Mount Everest.
21st Katmandu: We caught our 90-minute flight from Delhi to Kathmandu, where we stayed the first night.
22- 23rd Everest View Hotel: The Everest View Hotel had been constructed in 1971 at Solukhumbu and is listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the highest-placed hotel in the world (13,000ft). In 1976 the Nepalese Government had established the Sagarmatha National Park, which included Mount Everest and its surroundings.
Not all of our group had chosen to spend the night overlooking Mount Everest, and about half of us, with a guide, took a 50-minute flight the next day on a Pilatus Porter STOL aircraft operated by Royal Nepal Airlines, while others went off to the Chitwan National Park. The landing strip was crowded with Sherpas selling knick-knacks, rides on yaks and porter services.
Once we had checked in some of us decided to walk down to Khumjung, which is the largest Sherpa village in the area and the closest village to the hotel, 20 minutes away, in the valley below. It has a monastery and a school founded by Sir Edmund Hillary. As we walked down, a surreal sight assailed our sight and ears; the beat of a drum had alerted the villagers to the arrival of our plane – and we saw figures scurrying from all corners of the village, clutching blankets, rugs, boots, bells – all for sale. I became interested in a pair of woven yak boots, but the size was wrong. Within minutes new boots which fitted had appeared from another part of the village. I felt obliged to buy them. We were also able to visit one of the traditional houses where we were offered tea with yak’s milk. Not my cuppa!
The Everest View had about a dozen bedrooms, a common room with heat, a dining area and a balcony, all with spectacular views of Mount Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, and other mountains in the range. Dinner consisted of Yak stew cooked over the fire, which was delicious. We slept in sleeping bags zipped up to our faces, although it was so cold, I hardly slept a wink all night. Everybody else seemed to have a good night’s sleep, but I reckon it was the quantity of alcohol they had drunk. I remember at dinner that when I got up, I started to spin from the high altitude, and so I had declined to drink anything more than a shot of Raksi, the local brew as I was worried about my blood pressure in the cold. I wish I had. In the morning the windows had ice on the inside from the moisture in our breaths. For breakfast we drank yak milk and ate more yak stew.
23 – 26th Katmandu: Our hotel was the Soaltee Oberoi Hotel and Casino, one of the first luxury hotels in Katmandu. This was where we spent Christmas day and were given chips to play in the Casino, not very successfully if I remember.
Nepal is famous for its Durbar Squares, a generic name referring to the areas surrounding a number of royal palaces. The squares often have residential houses and shops, as well as outer and inner complexes. The most famous are in Katmandu, Patan (Lalitpur) and Bhaktapur. 37 years later many of these received significant damage due to the devastating earthquake in 2015. To be honest, I cannot recall in absolute detail what we visited, but I have pieced together what we saw from my photographs.
Katmandu Durbar Square: There are 50 temples distributed over two quadrangles. The Shiva Parvati Temple, the Trailokya Mohan and the Kumari Ghar form part of the outer quadrangle. In Nepal, prepubescent girls are selected from the Shakya clan of the Newari Buddhist community as a Kumari who is worshipped as a living embodiment of the Hindu Goddess Durga. The best known is the Royal Kumari of Kathmandu who lives in the Kumari Ghar. It is possible to visit this three-story temple, but tourists are not allowed to take pictures of the deity.
The inner quadrangle contains the Hanuman Dhoka Palace and the Panch Mukhi Hanuman Temple and the Basantapur Temple, a nine-story palace built by Prithvi Narayan Shah to commemorate the unification of Nepal are on either side of the inner courtyard or Nasal Chowk.
Patan Durbar Square: Patan Durbar Square is situated at the centre of Lalitput. As with other Durbars, it has a royal palace, 136 courtyards, 55 temples and 600 stupas. The square floor is paved with red bricks. It is a centre of both Hinduism and Buddhism. The most important buildings are the Krishna Temple Mandir, a three-storied structure, built in the Shikara style in 1667. The first floor narrates the events of the Mahabharata and the main shrine of Lord Krishna, the second floor shows visual carvings from Ramayana and is dedicated to Lord Shiva, and the third floor to Avalokiteshvara; the Vishwanath Temple, guarded by two stone elephants at the front was built in 1627 and dedicated to Shiva. It contains erotic carvings on its roof supports; and the Taleju Bhawani Temple is a five-storey temple with triple-roofs built in 1640 and rebuilt in 1667.
Bhaktapur Durbar Square: Bhaktapur was considered the biggest and grandest of the three Durbars and at its height contained 99 courtyards, but today hardly 15 remain due to frequent earthquakes. Like Kathmandu and Patan, Bhaktapur Durbar Square contains various temples, palaces and courtyards all of which were built in the traditional Nepalese style. The Durbar originally had three parts – the lower, middle and upper palace – but the upper palace had been destroyed by earthquakes and is now government offices.
Among the most notable building left is the Krishna Temple and Char Dham, consisting of replicas of the terracotta temples of Kedamath and Badrinath on either side, while Ramesvar and Jagannath are within the complex.
The Golden Gate is the entrance to the inner courtyards of the royal palace and the shrine of Teleju, and considered one of the most important works of Nepalese art. It has been described as "the most lovely piece of art in the whole kingdom; it is placed like a jewel, flashing innumerable facets in the handsome setting of its surroundings" ~Percy Brown.
Bhaktapur has its own Pashupatinath temple, the Yakshasvara Temple as it is very similar architecturally, and it is still in active use.
Beside it, is Nritya Vatsala more generally referred to as Lohan Dega (stone temple), the most well-known of the four temples in the square dedicated to the goddesses Vatsalā (meaning loving mother), and Bacchalā, the latter believed in Nepal to prevent epidemics. The bell hung on the plinth of the temple is locally known as 'the barking dog bell" as it is believed that the sound of the bell causes local dogs to start barking. The second best known is the Siddhi Lakshmi Temple, which is especially noted for its guardian statues, which include chained dogs, camels, horses, rhinoceroses and mythical beats. A sister temple, the Yantra Vatsala, was destroyed in 1934, but the deity is preserved in a small dwelling. Annapurna Vatsala, the fourth of the Vatsala is south of the Yakshasvara temple and much smaller than the first two.
The Palace of Fifty-five Windows faces both the inner courtyard and is also the only palace in the square. However, it is part of the upper palace complex and has been used as government offices, police stations, post offices and army offices in the C19-20th; nevertheless, it still contains some of the best-preserved wall murals from the Malia Dynasty (1201 to 1779). Unlike most Nepalese paintings, the murals were originally signed by its creator, but significant parts of the signature are no longer recognisable.
All three Durbars have a Taleju Bell, but Bhaktapur's is the oldest. It is hung atop a stone pedestal which forms a rectangular platform which is frequently used by people as a stage to watch festive processions passing through the square.
The temple of Silu Mahadeva was the tallest temple of the square; originally a C17th terracotta temple standing on a pedestal containing guardian sculptures of lions, elephants and cows but restored in 1934. Its name derives from a lingam associated with Silu, a lake in northern Nepal sacred to Shiva.
Pashupatinath Temple and the Bagmati River: Pashupatinath Temple located on the banks of the Bagmati River is dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva. Originally built in the C5th, the building we see today was built in the C19th. We were only allowed to view the temple from across the Bagmati River as only believers may enter the temple premises. The most important day is Shivrati which attracts thousands of devotees and sadhus.
Many Hindu cremations take place on the Bagmati River. According to tradition, a dead body must be dipped three times into the Bagmati river before cremation. The chief mourner, who is usually the eldest son and who lights the funeral pyre must take a holy river-water bath immediately after cremation.
In addition, many Sadhus, Hindu ascetics who have renounced all material and sexual attachments and live a life of austerity and meditation can be found on the banks. They are also known as yogis, sannyasis, or vairagis Sadhus are often associated with the worship of Lord Shiva and are known to use marijuana and other substances as part of their spiritual practices.
Boudhanath and Swayambhunath: These are two of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal. Boudhanath is the largest stupa in Nepal, with a base showing 108 small depictions of the Dhyani Buddha and a brick wall surrounding it with 147 niches, each with four or five prayer wheels. On top of the dome is a square tower, covered with gilded brass sheets on which are painted faces of the all-seeing eternal Buddha.
Swayambhunath is revered by Buddhists and Hindus. The stupa consists of a dome at the base, with a cubic structure above the dome with the eyes of Buddha looking in all four directions and topping that is a 13-tier tower.
A pretty intensive tour over four days, and an exhilarating experience taking in the wonders of the natural world - the Himalayas, Mount Everest, Nupste and Lhotse; the wonders of the architectural world - the temples, stupas, palaces; and the wonders of the artistic world - wall murals, representations of the gods, timber carving; and meeting the Nepalese: a calm and gentle peoples.
Sagarmatha National Park, the Durbar Squares of the Katmandu Valley, Pashupatinah Temple, Boudhanath and Swayambhunath were designated UNESCO Natural World Heritage Sites in 1979.
ITINERARY
26 - 27 December 1978
India
We returned to Delhi for one last day and night before catching our flights back to Dhahran. We had one final scheduled visit.
Red Fort: The Red Fort or Lal Qila was built by Shah Jahan in 1638 when he moved his capital from Agra to Delhi. Its original red and white design is credited to Ustad Ahmad Lahori, who also built the Taj Mahal. Unfortunately, all that is largely left after the invasion of the Mughal Empire in 1739, and the destruction wrought by the British in 1857, are the fort's defensive walls. It has an area of 254.67 acres enclosed by 2.41 km of defensive walls, punctuated by turrets and bastions that vary in height from 59 ft on the riverside to 108 ft on the city side. It is octagonal in shape, with a longer north–south axis than the east–west axis.
The marble, floral decorations and the fort's double domes exemplify later Mughal architecture. Beside the main gate is a historic covered bazaar known as the Chatta Chowk.
After the visit, we had some free time, and I bought myself a Kashmiri carpet at the New Kashmir Art Palace in Connaught Place, for Rp/6500 (£170). Together with two Nepalese rugs, the Yak bell and boots, it was quite a shopping trip.
The next day we flew home.
Richard, guide and Mount Everest
Everest View Hotel helipad
The Traveller
© Images: Richard Thom
Maps: Retrieved from:
Kathmandu Durbar Square: https://albinger.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/kathmandu-durbar-square-rough-guide-map.jpg?w=1800
Patan Durbar Square: https://i1.wp.com/pariskathmandu.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Map_of_Patan_Durbar_Square.jpg?fit=720%2C500&ssl=1
Bhaktapur Durbar Square: https://bigskytreks.weebly.com/uploads/2/0/6/3/20638024/bhaktapur-durbar-square-map_orig.jpg
© Words: Richard Thom
This article has adapted historical and cultural information retrieved from Wikipedia under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
About the Author
Richard Thom worked in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia between 1976 and 1980 for Aramco’s Internal Audit and Contract Cost Compliance departments. This was his first Dhahran Outing Group trip.
When not working, playing rugby, squash or trying his hand at amateur dramatics, he used his organising skills on the Aramco Employees Association and was Treasurer 1976/77 - 1978/79 and Chairman 1979/80 for the Dhahran Rugby Union Football Club (DRUFC).
Richard has contributed a number of articles to AramcoExpats including a review of Not the May Ball 3 in September 2022; a 10-part serialization of the unofficial history of the Dhahran Rugby Union Football Club; a look back on life after Aramco “Dance in the Desert”, “Jimmy Abdul McGregor, and Other Stories: Tales from the Yemen” and Dhahran to London 1978, a journey in 10 parts.
Richard published a book Dance into Business in 2018 based on his experience as Finance Director for the Royal Academy of Dance. A how-to guide for dance students, teachers and professionals wishing to start up a dance studio or go freelance. It contains helpful tips, practical examples, and points to consider whether just starting out or already in business. It is available from Amazon websites as a printed book, or an e-book priced locally.
